The document announces an international dance workshop in Senegal from July 16th to August 26th, 2015 hosted by the Ecole des Sables. The workshop, directed by Patrick Acogny, will explore traditional and contemporary African dances as well as those of the African diaspora through classes taught by international guest teachers. Participants will gain understanding of how dance reflects culture and identity and can be used as a form of resistance. The workshop is open to professional dancers from around the world and will bring together 25 international dancers and 15 African dancers to exchange culture and ideas.

1. ECOLE DES SABLES / ASSOCIATION JANT-BI
Founder: Germaine ACOGNY
Artistic Co-director: Patrick ACOGNY | Administrative Director: Helmut VOGT
BP 22626 CP 15 523 Dakar / SENEGAL
Tel-fax : 221 33 836 36 19 Email jantbi@gmail.com Web www.jantbi.org
BLACK DANCE FORMS.
BETWEEN ENGAGEMENT
AND RESISTANCE.
Professional International dance Workshop
of Africa and the AFRICAN Diaspora.
July 16TH
TO AUGUST 26TH
, 2015
ECOLE DES SABLES | TOUBAB DIALAW | SENEGAL
INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR TRADITIONAL
AND CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN DANCES

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The ecole des sables
The Ecole des Sables (INTERNATIONAL CENTRE FOR TRADITIONAL AND CONTEMPORARY AFRICANE
DANCES) is a platform for encounter and exchange. Since 1998, professional trainings for
dancers and choreographers from Africa, its diaspora and all over the world have been
organized on a regular basis.
Every two years, the international workshop allows professional dancers from all continents to
explore the essence and the universe of traditional and contemporary African dances, but also
of its Diaspora. It is also the occasion to exchange, to dialogue, to practice and to think with
African dancers in an outstanding place recognized for the quality of it’s pedagogic and artistic
work.

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INTRODUCTION
Black dances are all danced and choreographed practices inspired either by local heritage and
dances originating directly from Africa or derived dances of Africa or dances that have a mythical
inspiration, spiritual outcome of the imagination and African knowledge. They are not the
monopoly of Africans in Africa. Black dances are also the product of any artist who has a bond
of descent with Africa and is inspired either physically or intellectually by Africa.
Patrick Acogny
The workshop
The workshop Black Dance Forms. Between Engagement and Resistance. is based on
triangular meetings and dialogues between African dances, dances of the African
Diaspora and dances from Europe and America. It is a trip within the Black Dances!
The body is a sensitive entity, a crossing of influences and junctions. It is a reflection of a culture,
an imaginary but also of various practices. In the practices of Black Dance forms appear other
sensitive forms of the dancing body (corporeities), which are engaged, strong, and sometimes
simillar or divergent. The workshop aims to explore these dancing bodies through the
contemporary work of guest choreographers.
In the African Diaspora, dances often played a role in the resistance against slavery. They were
used to make the difference among Africans themselves, and between Africans and Europeans.
In Africa, as a factor for identity-based integration, some dances were also used as tools to claim
identity, to resist and fight against colonization. Resistance is an act, an active behavior that can
be verbal, physical or symbolic. The workshop aims to explore gestures and dancing bodies
through commitment and resistance dances that can be contemporary or of patrimonial
heritage.

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ObjectiveS
The general objectives
> To provide young Western dancers with the opportunity to discover the richness, variety,
complexity and specific energy of traditional and contemporary dances of Africa and its
diaspora.
> To contribute to the discovery and promotion of the African dances.
> To Reduce the cultural gap between Africa and it’s Diaspora.
> To bring dancers to focus more on new Black dances and become familiar with contemporary
dance of the African Diaspora.
> To stimulate exchanges between the dancers from Africa and from the other continents and to
create the base for future collaborations.
Specific objectives
> To understand the link between the body and its environment in the practice of Black Dance
Forms
> To Understand the different bodies as a space for the development and display of sociocultural
aspects.
> To look at dance from a new angle and enrich one's corporal language and expression.
> While discovering a new culture, help the students understand better and get closer to their
own one.
> To dance.
participantsThe workshop is open to dancers from Africa, the Diaspora and the rest of the world interested
in both patrimonial and contemporary dances, as well as current dances from Africa and the
Black Diaspora.
It will bring together 25 dancers from all continents and fifteen dancers from all over Africa. This
is a great moment of encounter, openness and sharing.
.

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classes / Teachers
The workshop is under the artistic direction of Patrick Acogny. Trainings will be mastered by
international guest teachers, beside Patrick Acogny.
Teachers are:
Aida Diaz Colmenero (Spain) | Modern African Dance, Germaine Acogny Technique
Chantal Loial (Guadeloupe) | Caribbean Contemporary Dance
H Patten (UK) | Jamaican Dances
Patrick Acogny | Contemporary African Dance and Deconstruction of patrimonial dances
Ramatoulaye Sarr (Senegal) | Sabar, Wolof Dance from Senegal
Saky Tchébé Bertrand (Ivory Coast) | patrimonial Dance from Côte d'Ivoire
Mornings 9:15 to 12:45 pm / Afternoon 4:00 pm to 7:30 pm
Saturday mornings, the focus will be on research and experimentation.
Two excursions are planned on Sundays.
The VenueThe Ecole des Sables is located near Toubab Dialaw, a fishing village about 53 kilometers South
of Dakar/Senegal, next to a laguna between the ocean and the savannah.
The Centre is equipped with 2 dance spaces (400 m2 and 280 m2), 24 bungalows for
accommodation, a restaurant, a conference room and an infirmary.

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cost
(6 weeks)
Accommodation: 10 € /day euros 420
Food: 10€ /day euros 420
Airport/Ecole des Sables round trip: euros 60
Classes: 6 € x 210 hours euros 1 260
TOTAL : euros 2 160
not included:
Travel and visa costs (52,5 euros) to Senegal
Excursions costs (optional)
registration
As late as May 15, 2015
Please send your CV, a short video of one minute dance solo (youtube link), a motivation
letter, an application form (from the attached file or download it from our web site) and an ID
photo to:
stage-workshop@jantbi.org
GOOD TO KNOW
Visa
Visa is required to come to Senegal (except for nationals of ECOWAS). Check with the consulate
of Senegal in your country or on the website www.visasenegal.sn. We will issue a letter of
invitation and accommodation for your request.
Health insurance
Health insurance that covers you while traveling is mandatory. Thank you to ensure you are
covered for Senegal.
Ebola
The only one patient who suffured from Ebola in Senegal some months ago received treatment
and recovered from the disease. As of today, no new cases have been reported. So don’t worry.
Infos # contact
www.jantbi.org - Mail : stage-workshop@jantbi.org - Tel. : 00 221 33 836 36 19